Former Lawyer and Member for Weybridge Set To Be New County Council Leader

Published on: 23 Nov, 2018
Updated on: 23 Nov, 2018

Cllr Tim Oliver

Tim Oliver, the Conservative county councillor for Weybridge is set to be the new leader of Surrey County Council, replacing David Hodge, it was announced this afternoon.

Mr Hodge had said he would step down with effect from December 11 (2018) when Cllr Oliver’s appointment as council leader should be rubber-stamped.

Cllr Oliver said: “I am delighted to have been elected leader of the Conservative Group for Surrey County Council and I would like to thank my fellow Conservative county councillors for providing me with this honour.

“I pay tribute to the excellent work my predecessor David Hodge has done during his leadership. My focus now is on representing the group and working to serve the residents of Surrey to the best of my abilities.”

Cllrs Tim Oliver (left) and David Hodge

It was a four-horse race between: David Harmer (Waverley Western Villages), the present deputy leader John Furey (Addlestone), Elmbridge council leader Cllr Oliver and Graham Ellwood (Guildford East).

The result was so decisively in favour of Cllr Oliver, the cabinet member with responsibility for responsibility for health and wellbeing, no further voting rounds were required. This indicates he must have secured more than 50% of the votes. In closer results, candidates with the least number of votes drop out but this was not necessary.

Cllr Graham Ellwood

Graham Ellwood’s unsuccessful bid may have in part been due to his slightly poorer attendance record than other candidates, only six attendances out of an expected nine since June 1. He is not a member of the SCC cabinet. His county and Guildford Borough Council Conservative colleague and ally, Matt Furniss (Shalford), is believed to have nominated Cllr Oliver.

There was speculation that Cllr Furniss, thought to be the youngest councillor at County Hall, might stand himself but he passed up the chance. Cllr Oliver’s candidature was said to have surprised some; he became a county councillor only at the last election in 2017. Observers may wonder if Cllr Furniss will be rewarded with a cabinet position.

Cllr Keith Witham

Worplesdon county councillor Keith Witham said: “I have known Tim Oliver for more than 15 years, from well before I became a county councillor. And like his predecessor, David Hodge, Tim Oliver is a man of integrity who speaks in an honest and straightforward way.

“I have no doubt he will be an excellent leader of Surrey County Council and speak on behalf of all the people of Surrey.”

Before the election, the four candidates are reported to have each given a speech to their fellow group leaders explaining why they should be the next leader, followed by questions.

The Guildford Dragon has been told that a question on whether there was anything in the candidate’s background that could prove embarrassing if discovered was ruled out of order after it had been answered by the first candidate to make a speech. But the questioner was told only questions on specific instances could be asked of the other candidates.

The new leader’s working career was as a lawyer. His company, Parabis Group, which at its peak is said to have employed more than 1,900 people in 31 locations across the UK, went into administration in 2015, “owing almost £50 million to more than 2,500 unsecured creditors”, according to the Law Gazette.

The Lawyer reported in 2016 that Mr Oliver received £16.9 million for his stake in the Parabis business when it was acquired by private equity firm Duke Street before its collapse.

It also added that Mr Oliver said: “… a ‘considerable sum’ was reinvested back into Parabis to fund acquisitions, but [he] preferred not to shed more light on precisely what that sum might be”.

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